It is foolish of local businesses to ignore the Google My Business page listing. This is a step-by-step guide to create and optimize a GMB Page that brings in a lot of local customers.
Step 1: Set up a GMB account
Businesses that already have a GMB account may skip this section.
1: Straight away head to Google.com/business. Afterward, click “Start Now”. You can see it in the upper right-hand corner. If you still don’t have a Google account yet, it’s high time to make one and then head to create a GMB account.
2: Type your business name, spell it correctly and click “Next.”
3: Type your commercial/ business address. You will see two checkboxes. One checkbox will be asking if you deliver services to the customers. Another checkbox will be asked if you wish to hide your address. Tick the boxes if it applies to your business. Later click “Next.”
4: Find your business category from the list. Be as exact as possible. This will enable Google to exhibit your business to the right customers.
5: Add the contact number of your business and website address.
6: Select the option to verify your business. Select from five verification options: phone, email, postcard, instant, and bulk.
- Phone number: Some of the business categories are allowed to verify their business via text message or phone call. If your business comes under that category, Google will text or call you with a code. You can input the same into the verification field.
- Email address: Just as the phone option, some of the businesses can also verify their business via email. If Google allows it for your kind of business, you can get a code sent to your email address. Later, you can place the same in the verification field.
- Postcard Address: If faster verification methods don’t apply to your category of business, you can always verify via postcard. Google will send a physical postcard to your business location. After you receive it, you can input the verification code from the postcard into your GMB.
- Instant: Another way is the quickest way. If a business has already verified itself on the Google Search Console, then your GMB account can be linked to get instant verification.
- Bulk: In case your business has 10 plus branches or physical locations, then you are eligible to use the bulk verification option.
Connect your Google Analytics and Google My Business to analyze the traffic
The first step for local lead generation analytics is connecting your Google Analytics account to your GMB page.
You can only do it unofficially because there’s no official way. This can be done with urchin tracking module (UTM) tags, though.
UTM tags help to track the platforms from where your website visitors are coming from. If you keep a URL having a UTM tag on your GMB profile, you can find out accurately how much traffic Google My Business is sending to you.
Learn how to set up UTM tags by clicking here:
Track customer actions with Google My Business Insights
GMB isn’t what you think- the free billboard that you see in the Google Search Results. It provides a lot of information.
Here are a few of the information Google provides:
Showcase Search keywords
Just near the top of the Insights dashboard is a keyword listing that audiences typed in to find your business. By using this insight, you can improve your local SEO or target local customers with Google PPC ads.
Compare Search versus Maps
After you make a GMB account, Google shows your business in two places: in Google Maps, and on the search engine results page (SERP) –right side. GMB Insights page will show you how many people reaching your business through search or through Maps.
Customer actions
Local leads can take three potential actions after viewing your GMB listing. Either they visit your website, or they request directions via Google Maps. In the third case, they might call you. GMB Insights will give you details of how many people come in a given day, week, or quarter.
It is important to make good use of call-to-action buttons well.
Directions requests
Insights of GMB also tell the zip codes from which leads are requesting map directions. If you observe a particular location has a great number of requests, you can target your ads in that area and generate more leads.
Get lots of reviews
Around 63% of consumers check a business’s Google reviews before taking service from a business, according to a study.
So if you want the people who view your GMB listing to become leads, take a great deal of care of your reviews. Always respond to reviews. Give a credible reply to a negative review. Avoid a situation wherein a customer is forced to give a negative review.
Generally, when you’re doing a good job, your customers will happily leave you a quick 5-star rating.
Add a keyword-targeted description
GMB description of your business is a very important element from an Search Engine Optimization point of view. Use keywords that are used by audiences to Google search for services related to your business
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